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MUSIC PRODUCER BLOG

June 25, 2006BACK TO THE BEGINNING WITH BILLIE

Throughout the season, Music Producer Elliot Lurie will be taking us through the process by which each episode's music is chosen.

This week's episode returns us musically to the beginning of the very first episode of The 4400.

When Maia arrives at her "sister" Sarah's house it's uncannily like her childhood home. Perfect to the last detail, including period music playing on an old phonograph.

In fact, it's the same recording that was playing on her parents' car radio when she was originally abducted into the future.

I began working on The 4400 after the initial episode was shot and was in post-production. The rough cut included the song "Cheek To Cheek" as performed by Fred Astaire. It plays as Maia is abducted at the opening of the episode.

Everyone was happy with it creatively, but there was a problem with securing the rights to the Astaire version. My first assignment as music supervisor was to find an alternate version of the song.

Many, many artists have recorded it, but the one that seemed to have just the right feel was the Billie Holliday version.

However, there is a problem with it. Anyone know what it is? (Scroll down to see the answer)

Answer: Fred Astaire first recorded "Cheek To Cheek" in 1935, but Billie Holiday didn't record her rendition until the mid 1950's -- years after Maia was abducted. Oops!